Rabz’ Radio Show August 2022: Dub, Ska and Reggae


Not claiming to be an aficionado of any of these genres, Cats. The ol’ saying, “I don’t know what I like but I do when I hear it” applies here.

Dub – a very idiosyncratic genre. However, there be giants. Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby and the Mad Perfesser, among others. After absolutely loving UB40’s Signing Off and Present Arms as a yoof, to subsequently experience Present Arms in Dub was a somewhat perplexing experience. Dub involving of course, much manipulation of instruments and sounds, in an often seemingly random and discordant fashion. Best enjoyed (presumably) after inhaling a certain ‘erb, Mon.

Ska – In many ways, the precursor of Reggae. Originated in the Caribbean Isle of Jamaica in the sixties, fusing particular musical styles. It experienced its most notable period of popularity courtesy of the 2 Tone record label releases in the hectic New Wave period of music of the late seventies and early eighties. Some of my favourite bands were purveyors of this style, the most notable being the (British) Beat. Yoof subculture fans of Ska back in the day were known as Rude Boys and Girls and tended to dress in mod inspired monochrome fashions.

Reggae – The best known of the three variants, courtesy of a certain Bob Marley. Came to prominence in the aftermath of the Rocksteady style. The term Rocksteady features in one of my favourite Madness tunes. Reggae itself is an immediately recognisable genre, characterised by offbeat rhythms and the use of offsetting staccato chords. Other prominent (and not so prominent) Reggae artists include Jimmy Cliff, Horace Andy (who would later gain a wider audience courtesy of Massive Attack), Keith Hudson, and Desmond Dekker. The Clash and the Police were also influenced by Reggae – see the latter’s album “Reggatta de Blanc”, for example, while two of my other favourite bands are Madness and the Specials, who were exemplars of certain styles identified above.

Now comes the hard part, choosing two songs. Here they are. Please assist to broaden our Reggae horizons by posting your favourite tunes here.

Baggy Trousers

Sea of Love

Honourable mention – BB Seaton, “Thin Line Between Love and Hate”.

Enjoy, Cats!


61 responses to “Rabz’ Radio Show August 2022: Dub, Ska and Reggae”

  1. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    A reggae anthem!

  2. Goanna Avatar
    Goanna

    Rabz.
    Linton Kwesi Johnson “Bass Culture “

  3. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Hey that worked!
    I’m getting a plague of 500 errors.
    The Cat doesn’t like 10 cc.

  4. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    Onya, Bruce, you spiritual Jamaican.

    In the meantime, this Anthem remains magnifique …

  5. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    Goanna – great stuff, Squire. He is awesome.

    Bass Culture

  6. Goanna Avatar
    Goanna

    The mighty I Roy with “Tourism Is My Business “

    Looking good in a purple suit.

  7. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Not actually a fan of reggae, although I have a couple of 10 cc LPs floating around somewhere. But very much I like the different rhythm when it gets used in mainstream tracks.

    So here’s both…

    The Sea – Morcheeba

    The Sea – Amazonics (reggae version)

    I have to listen to more of the Amazonics. That’s a marvelous cover.

  8. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Another big reggae influenced bunch is this one:

    The Police – So Lonely (1978)

  9. Crossie Avatar
    Crossie

    OK, how about some Eddy Grant.

  10. Crossie Avatar
    Crossie

    I like this Boney M song: Brown Girl In The Ring.

  11. Crossie Avatar
    Crossie

    Does this song qualify?

    Rivers of Babylon.

  12. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Dub came from reggae. It’s fun to pick the changes in rhythm. Here’s a dub track which went well mainstream:

    Portishead – Glory Box (1994)

    Tracks from that album like Strangers and Numb are dubbier. Much more spiky than reggae but the rhythmic relationship is clear as crystal.

  13. Crossie Avatar
    Crossie

    Even Sandie Shaw gave it a go – Make It Go.

  14. eric hinton Avatar
    eric hinton

    Um. This is test. If it doesn’t link can someone step me through how it’s done.

    (flute reggae fusion from early seventies)

  15. jupes Avatar
    jupes

    The Clash and the Police were also influenced by Reggae

    Yeah, a strange partnership, punk and reggae. Perhaps they both were playing to the same target audience. The Clash played various genres on their third album, London Calling, but they were playing reggae from the beginning. Here’s the Clash from their first album:

    Police and Thieves.

  16. Crossie Avatar
    Crossie

    Eric, link works fine.

  17. eric hinton Avatar
    eric hinton

    The Pioneers

  18. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    The definitive Portishead track – All Mine

  19. jupes Avatar
    jupes

    Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now

    Johnny Nash: the original and the best

  20. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    flute reggae fusion

    That was cool! Like if Bob Marley did a track with Jethro Tull.

  21. jupes Avatar
    jupes

    UB 40 turned this Neil Diamond song into a reggae hit. Neil liked it so much, that when he played the Hunter Valley a few years ago (2017?), he played the UB 40 version.

    Red Red Wine

  22. jupes Avatar
    jupes

    Like if Bob Marley did a track with Jethro Tull.

    Saw both of them in the ’70s.

  23. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    Here’s the Clash, just being awesome (again) …

    Trigger Warning: Not Reggae, or anything remotely resembling it

  24. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    The YT sidebar throws up some excellent stuff from time to time.
    Here’s a young Aussie lady doing reggae. Rather good.

    Tash Sultana – Jungle (2016)

  25. Wally Dalí Avatar
    Wally Dalí

    Oi you picked the theme Rabz, stay on subject!
    This is a cool bit of rocksteady soul- Marcia Griffiths.
    I do like the reggae-dub cyclical composition, rolling on and off the minor VIth and whatever the damn hell it is, go ask Rick Beato

  26. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    Do not move, peoples

    Wow – what a track. A not in any way discordant symphony. 🙂

  27. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Some more dub, this time from Lamb.

    Lamb – Butterfly Effect (2012)

  28. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    Bruce – Tash Sultana is a very talented young personage.

    The song is just pure blues, 3:00am on a Sunday morning in the Cross …

  29. thefrollickingmole Avatar
    thefrollickingmole

    Good old movie which is as rough as guts but a real slice of Jamaica

    Jimmy Cliff
    The harder they come.
    Whole movie is on YouTube

    Stupid phone won’t paste links

  30. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Rabz – That’s fun. Listening to the first 20 seconds of Don’t Move is creepily like the first 20 seconds of Butterfly Effect. Really interesting the parallels.

  31. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    Bruce – it’s just an awesome musical genre

  32. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Rabz – I’ve a couple of Massive Attack albums somewhere, which I should listen to again. Marvelous stuff. Especially like Karmacoma for some reason I have no understanding of. Very dubbish.

    Massive Attack – Karmacoma (1995)

    Karmacoma, jamaica’ aroma…

  33. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    MT – The Specials are excellent. Got to put up their biggest one:

    The Specials – Ghost Town (1981)

    Bigly reggae dub.

  34. Dragnet Avatar
    Dragnet

    D Trojan Records back catalogue is d go to for I and I

  35. Dragnet Avatar
    Dragnet

    54 46 Is My Number

  36. Wally Dalí Avatar
    Wally Dalí

    Bit of Primal Scream can be jammed in anywhere…
    Get Duffy, from the magisterial Vanishing Point

  37. Wally Dalí Avatar
    Wally Dalí

    Man, that’s opened my eyes Bruce. I thought that Lamb were a one-hit wonder off a remix of B-Line, and were toomuch soundalike to Beth Gibbons

  38. Bruce of Newcastle Avatar
    Bruce of Newcastle

    Bruce. I thought that Lamb were a one-hit wonder

    They’re an interesting pair. Just been checking out their channel myself, and found this nice solo effort from Lou, who is the lady Lamb.

    LOU RHODES – The Rain (2007)

    Much more mainstream than their usual stuff. Catchy.

  39. Crossie Avatar
    Crossie

    MT, that’s the theme to Death In Paradise. Love it.

  40. Wally Dalí Avatar
    Wally Dalí

    Am I really the only one still able to focus on the keys? It’s not even midnight over east yet…
    Uptown Top Ranking

  41. Az Avatar
    Az

    This music is rubbish. I hate all of it.

  42. billie Avatar
    billie

    The Clash and Mikey Dread

  43. eric hinton Avatar
    eric hinton

    Sunday morning coming down


    dilly dally

  44. johanna Avatar
    johanna

    Missed the show – was out and about last night.

    But here’s a belated contribution – Fade Away by the New Age Steppers.

  45. Rabz Avatar
    Rabz

    This music is rubbish. I hate all of it.

    Gee, thanks for that positive contribution, you irredeemable imbecile.

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